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Wednesday, February 15, 2017

We had a great time putting this issue together. Such fun and informative articles! For some reason, we had the time to make most of the things inside, and enjoyed every minute of it. We think you will too! You can subscribe today on our website. I expect to run out of this issue before May/June comes out, so don't wait too long.

Field Notes from the Editor, Tina Sams
Before we get too busy planting, read about the new things happening with TEH.
About the Cover
Debra Sturdevant is the artist of this issue's cover.
A Peach of an Herb, Kristine Brown
Did you know that peaches offer us good medicine in addition to deliciousness? You will.

Delights of Travel, Maryanne Schwartz
Can any of us visit a new part of the country (or world) and not be enchanted by the flora?
Making Your Own Deodorant, Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
We've already made and fallen in love with this recipe.
Growing with Kathy, Propagation, Kathy Musser
It's time to get those seeds started.
List Article, That ONE Herb
What would you choose if you could only have one?

Plant a Rainbow in Your Herb Garden, Julia Scheid
We often overlook beauty when planting our medicinal gardens.
Sage - Beyond Turkey, Jackie Johnson
Read this, and you'll need more than one plant and several varieties!
Salt Dough - Not Just for Christmas, Cathy Calfchild

A craft that can be used year round.

Graceful Solomon’s Seal, Ruth Davis
This beautiful woodland plant is well worth encouraging and propagating for its healing properties.

Louisiana Lagniappe, Easiest Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sarah Liberta
Who doesn't need a quick and easy go-to recipe to wow guests?
The Beginning, Angela M. Dellutri
We all have some story of how we were led to herbs. This is Angela's.
Chives, Sandy Michelsen
If you're not growing herbs now, you'll want some of these useful, carefree, and cheerful allium.
Urban Gardening, Molly Sams
Sometimes the best intentions just aren't enough - but there's always next year.
Carmelite Water, Susanna Reppert Brill
Try this traditional, historical recipe using the herb of the year!

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

Do you know the difference? It's pretty important because they are nothing alike!

I was just reading something, and someone wrote about using apple cider vinegar
in their “little homeopathic repertoire.”This is closely akin to nails on a chalkboard for me.

Homeopathic medicine isn’t easy to explain, and I’m no expert.Still, maybe I can help a little bit.To create a homeopathic remedy, they begin
with 1 part of the remedy ingredient, and 100 parts of a diluent.This mixture is succussed for a specific
period of time, and then 1 part of THAT is taken, and added to 100 parts of the
diluent, and succussion is repeated.For
a 6X remedy, that is repeated 6 times.For something like 30C,
(I think) it is 3000 (30 x C), but for a full explanation, check here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathic_dilutions
The higher the number of times it is repeated, the more potent the remedy.Professional strength is much, much
higher.In the end, it is the essence of
the remedy and it would be like trying to find a molecule of that substance in
a swimming pool of water. You could take all the little pellets in a vial, and not overdose or even get sick. But if you get the right one, it can instantly correct a problem. This is highly contested, and some call it quackery. I've used them successfully. I don't argue or try to convince anyone, though.
One remedy that is fairly well known is Rhus Tox, and it is used for poison
ivy.It IS poison ivy.The theory boils down to “Like Cures Like.”That means that you choose a remedy that
would if given in normal quantities cause the symptom.Taken a step further, it is thought that the
body exhibits symptoms asking for that which would normally cause those
symptoms.

So…
That is VERY different from Naturopathic medicine.

Naturopathic encompasses a whole range of alternative
healing modalities which, ironically, even includes homeopathy!Typically it might involve herbs, massage,
Reiki, nutrition, acupuncture, meditation, and any number of other means of
regaining health.

These terms can’t be used interchangeably.They are nothing alike.If you are going to use either one – use it correctly because it really is important.

Friday, February 03, 2017

Essential Herbal Magazine readers probably know these remedies, and many other ways to stay up and at 'em over the winter time. Even with the best preventative care, we all catch a bug sooner or later. When we do, or even just suffer a little discomfort from the dry winter air, it's good to know some simple ways to take care of yourself.

We hope you'll try some of these.

1. Fire CiderWe make this every year, and have counted on it to ward off viruses, heartburn, and all kinds of aches and pains in our home. You don't really need a recipe. Get a quart mason jar. Add a chopped onion, a few chopped garlic cloves, a few cayenne peppers, and a few inches of horseradish and the same of ginger. Chop up a lemon and/or orange. Cover with good apple cider vinegar and use a non-metal lid (or line lid with waxed paper) for a few weeks. Strain and add 30 to 50 percent honey. Or, put your feet up and watch Rosemary Gladstar make it!

2. Elderberry Syrup:I refuse to enter winter without a goodly supply of berries and myriad preparations made with them. They kept me virus free for 3 years when I absolutely could not bring an illness into the house, and that was all the proof I needed. Here's my recipe...
3 cups fresh (I use frozen) elderberries (or 1 - 1 1/2 cups dry)
1 lemon sliced
1" or more of ginger, sliced
6" cinnamon stick broken up or 1 tsp powder
4 or 5 cardamom pods
I add a few inches of vanilla bean for no other reason except flavor.

If
using fresh or frozen berries, add a cup or less of water to the
ingredients in a pan. If dried, add 3 cups of water. Simmer very
gently for an hour.Measure the liquid after it is simmered, and then add EITHERan equal amount of honey ORone and a half the amount in sugar. If using honey, stir into the hot juice.If you use sugar, heat until boiling, and allow to simmer for 3 minutes or so.
When you've been exposed to someone sick, take 1 T several times a day for 3 days. That's the same thing to do if you start coming down with something.

This recipe will work even if the only thing you use is the elderberries. The rest of the spices and lemon do have purpose, but the elderberry is great on its own.

3. All Purpose Salve

Things get pretty arid in the winter, and our skin shows it. Our lips, faces, hands and feet are the worst, but elbows, knees and all kinds of patches of skin need help.This salve is also very nice for scratches and scrapes. In the spring it can help with stings, bites, and rashes of many sorts, too.

Combine
the herbs and olive oil & simmer 25 minutes; strain herbs. Add
beeswax, stir until melted. Add essential
oil. Pour into containers and let cool.Note: You can use one or all of the above herbs - or none at all.

4. Warming Winter TeaThere are several reasons you might want a specific tea in the winter. Sore throats can be a problem. In my part of the world, sage, thyme, and horehound are all still doing well in the garden, even if they're covered by snow. I have to be in agony to add horehound to a tea - but it will do the trick. Usually its this:5 or 6 nice sage leaves1 sprig of thyme1/2 lemon1 T honey1 pint of hot waterI don't remove the herbs, but use a licorice root stick to push them out of the way. This is really a delicious tea.

For cough and colds I add1 T chopped fresh ginger root1 t elecampane root (dry) 1 t slippery elm barkto the sore throat tea.As with the recipes above, you can use as many or as few herbs as you have on hand to help with the situation. For sore throat, I'd suggest especially the sage. For the cough/cold, ginger and elecampane (with lots of honey).

Once
you have the decoction prepared as described above and have strained
the roots and barks well, you can proceed in a number of ways.
Method One - Sugar
Add
1.5 parts sugar to 1 part decoction. So if you have one cup of liquid,
you'd add 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar. Combine and heat to a rolling
boil. Hold for three minutes. Cool and bottle. The sugar acts as a
preservative, but I refrigerate the syrup for longer shelf life.
You can also add about 10% 100 proof alcohol to further preserve the syrup if you'd like.
Method Two - Honey
For
a syrup made with honey (local please!), you would use 1 part honey to 1
part decoction. For a honey syrup, I really like to add a little
alcohol to increase the shelf life. The honey syrup shouldn't be boiled
- just add the honey to the warm decoction and stir to blend
thoroughly.